State election 2023: Ballina ballot drawn

The order in which candidates will appear on your voting paper for Ballina at this year’s state election has been revealed – but those in the running were hard to come by.

Greens MP Tamara Smith retained the seat of Ballina in 2019.

The ballot has been drawn in the seat of Ballina ahead of this year’s state election – but there was not a candidate in sight.

The draw was held at a fairly empty Mullumbimby Civic Hall on Thursday morning ahead of the vote on March 25.

It determines the order of candidates on voting papers.

Names of the candidates were tossed into a small plastic vial, put into a cooler bag and shaken around by seasoned election manager Sandra Marnie.

The Ballina ballot box draw saw keen Labor supporters chatting about its favourite candidate in Mullumbimby Civic Hall.

About four onlookers were on hand to see the result.

The ballot draw result is: (1) Peter Jenkins – Sustainable Australia Party – Stop Overdevelopment/Corruption, (2) Andrew Broadley – Labor, (3) Kevin Loughrey – Independent, (4) Tamara Smith – The Greens, (5) Josh Booyens – The Nationals.

Ballina's order of candidates for March 25 state elections drawn in Mullumbimby on Thursday.

Ms Marnie finalised the draw and signed off as eager onlookers raced to the table to sign as witnesses.

Ms Smith holds the seat of Ballina after succeeding against the National Party’s Ben Franklin with a 3.1 per cent margin in 2019.

National Don Page held the seat for the Nationals before retiring in 2015.

Early voting starts on the 18th at the Ballina Election Manager’s Office in Mullumbimby, Marvell Hall in Byron Bay and The Richmond Room in Ballina.